Demand assigned reformatting with an overflow area for time division multiple access communication

• US 4,763,325 A
• Filed: 09/04/1985
• Issued: 08/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comsat Telesystems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Comsat Telesystems Incorporated
• Inventors: Osborne, William P., Wolfe, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US06/772,536
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 370/99, 370/104, 370/79, 370/95, 455/12
• US Class Current: 370/322
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2123 Variable assignment, e.g. demand assignment

Abstract

A time division multiple access communication system in which the repetitive frame is divided into fixed portions preallocated to separate stations and an overflow portion. Each station retains control of its own preallocated portion. Whenever one of the stations needs space that is not available in its preallocated portion, it requests a reference station for part of the overflow portion, which is relinquished as soon as the requirement stops.

Claims

1. A time division multiple access communication system, comprising:

a plurality of data stations for transmitting and receiving sub-bursts of data between said stations, each said station being assigned, for transmitting a plurality of repeating sub-bursts, at least one preallocated burst portion of predetermined duration in a repeating frame of predetermined duration, said frame further comprising an overflow portion;

a reference station;

means associated with each said data station for receiving a request for transmission of a repeating sub-burst of predetermined duration in said frame and for assigning said requested sub-burst to a previously non-assigned portion of the preallocated burst portion assigned to said each data station if such a nonassigned portion is available, and, if said such a nonassigned portion is not available, transmitting an overflow request for said requested sub-burst to said reference station;

means associated with said reference station for receiving said overflow request from a requesting data station, assigning a previously non-assigned portion of said overflow portion to said requested sub-burst and transmitting the assignment of said overflow portion to said requesting data station; and

wherein said requesting data station transmits the requested sub-burst in the portion of said frame assigned to said sub-burst.

2. A communication system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means associated with each said reference station further periodically redetermines the duration of said preallocated portions.

3. A communication system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means associated with each said reference station further transmits to said each data station an indication of non-availability if a previously non-assigned portion of said overflow portion is not available.

4. A method for time division multiple access communication, comprising the steps of:

establishing a repetitive fixed-duration frame for the transmission of data;

preallocating different burst portions of each said frame to different ones of a plurality of data stations and reserving an overflow portion of said frame;

requesting a sub-burst of predetermined duration for transmission from one of said data stations;

assigning said sub-burst to a previously nonassigned portion of the portion preallocated to said one data station if said previously non-assigned portion of said preallocated portion is available; and

assigning said sub-burst to a previously nonassigned portion of the overflow portion if said previously non-assigned portion of said preallocated portion is not available.

5. A communication method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of periodically reallocating said burst portions.